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Ridgecrest, CA

Full City Profile · California · Kern County County

3.4 /5.0
B Good
28,138 Population 1,349/sq mi density
$88,107 Median Income $40,173 per capita
$235,800 Home Value $265,453 Zillow
$1,178 Median Rent 25.0% income on rent
65°F Avg Temperature 330 sunny days/yr
488 Violent Crime/100K 1,378 property/100K
B
Overall
3.4 / 5.0
Good overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
A
Economy
4.1 / 5.0
$88,107 median income, 5.3% unemployment
A+
Affordability
5.0 / 5.0
$235,800 home value, $1,178/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
488 violent crimes/100K (28% above avg)
B+
Education
3.5 / 5.0
31.7% bachelor's degree or higher

Ridgecrest, CA

At a Glance

Median Income
$88,107
17% above
$40,173 per capita
Home Value
$235,800
16% below
Zillow: $265,453
Median Rent
$1,178/mo
1% above
25.0% of income on rent
Violent Crime
488/100K
28% above
1,378/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
31.7%
6% below
91.8% high school+
Unemployment
5.3%
47% above
7.7% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
32.1%
0% below
12.9% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
65°F
330 sunny days/yr

How Ridgecrest Compares to the U.S. Average

Each bar shows Ridgecrest's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)

Income
117%
Home Value
84%
Rent
101%
Poverty
62%
Bachelor's
94%
Unemployment
147%
Crime
128%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is Ridgecrest a Good Place to Live?

B
3.4 / 5.0 — Good
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

Ridgecrest residents earn a median household income of $88,107 , which is 17% above the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $40,173. The unemployment rate stands at 5.3% (47% above the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 7.7% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 27,950 business establishments, including 1,569 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in Ridgecrest is $235,800 , 16% below the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $265,453. Median rent is $1,178/month, with 25.0% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 110.7 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1981.

Safety & Crime

Ridgecrest reports 488 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 28% above the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 1,378/100K. The murder rate is 10.3/100K.

Education

31.7% of adults in Ridgecrest hold a bachelor's degree or higher (6% below the national average). 91.8% have completed high school. Local schools score 4.0/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

Ridgecrest has an average annual temperature of 65°F (19°C). Winters average 46°F in January while summers reach 88°F in July. The area gets 330 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 4.7 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 48.

Data Overview

People

Population28,138
Median Age34.8 yrs
Density1,349/mi²
Male / Female50% / 50%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans15.3%

Economy

A
Median Income$88,107
Per Capita$40,173
Unemployment5.3%
Poverty7.7%
County GDP$63,070M
Avg Weekly Wage$1,155

Housing

A+
Home Value$235,800
Rent$1,178
Ownership59.7%
Zillow$265,453
Housing Units12,186
Rent Burden25.0%

Crime

F
Violent488/100K
Property1,378/100K
Murder10.3/100K
Assault347/100K
Burglary409/100K

Health

Obesity32.1%
Diabetes9.8%
Smoking12.9%
Heart Disease5.3%
Premature Death10,697/100K

Climate

Avg Temp65°F
Sunny Days330/yr
Rain4.7 in/yr
AQI48 (Good)
Elevation2,287 ft

Education

B+
Bachelor's+31.7%
High School+91.8%
Graduate+11.2%
School Score4.0/10

Community

2024 VoteR 59% / D 38%
Commute16 min
Broadband92.2%
Internet Speed79 Mbps
EV Stations4
Libraries28

Did You Know?

The median home in Ridgecrest was built in 1981.
The nearest airport is Bob Hope (106 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.470 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Relatively High" by FEMA.
14.8% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
There are 1,569 restaurants in the area.
The county recorded 197 fatal vehicle crashes.
273 declared natural disasters on record.